The present disclosure relates generally to thermostats and more particularly to an improved control of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems of a building space through the use of a multi-function, multi-touch, thermostat.
A thermostat is, in general, a component of an HVAC control system. Traditional thermostats sense the temperature of a system and control components of the HVAC system in order to maintain a setpoint. A thermostat may be designed to control a heating or cooling system or an air conditioner (or a heat pump). Thermostats are manufactured in many ways, and use a variety of sensors to measure temperature and other desired parameters of a system.
Conventional thermostats are configured for one-way communication to connected components, and to control HVAC systems by turning on or off certain components or by regulating flow. Each thermostat may include a temperature sensor and a user interface. The user interface typically includes display for presenting information to a user and one or more user interface elements for receiving input from a user. To control the temperature of a building or space, a user adjusts the setpoint via the thermostat's user interface.